Wednesday, 14 November 2012

All Gunns blazing: Freund urges Spurs to knock Arsenal off their perch - Mirror.co.uk

Tottenham assistant Steffen Freund turned the screw on Arsenal's miserable start to the season by claiming Spurs will NEVER have a better chance than this to stick it to their bitter rivals.

The Gunners have won just four of their 11 league games this season and are struggling in eighth with 16 points - only three clear of the bottom half of the table - going into Saturday lunchtime's North London derby.

And although Tottenham are just one point and one place above their neighbours, assistant coach Freund is ready for a slice of revenge for all the years of suffering he has experienced at Arsenal's hands.

The last time Tottenham finished above Arsenal in 1995 - a year before Arsene Wenger arrived at Highbury.

Freund enjoyed many battles with them during his playing days with Sours, but was always left looking up the league table.

But as he prepared for the latest showdown in Saturday's lunchtime showpiece, Freund was full of confidence about the prospects for Andre Villas-Boas' side.

When asked if Tottenham could turn the tables and finish above Arsenal, the German said: "Definitely. Spurs are in a better position. We are really close to Arsenal.

"In my time, they [Arsenal] used to be involved in the title race every year and we finished ninth or tenth.

"That has changed now. We are really close to our biggest rival and I can't wait for that game."

With Arsenal having lost so many influential players over the past few years - including skipper Robin van Persie during the summer - Freund feels Tottenham can capitalise and make it a season to remember at White Hart Lane.

He added: "It would be great to finish above Arsenal. It would be a great experience for me too, because it has never happened for me in the past. That's why it's a special game.

"There are only two of these games every season. But as a coach I have to think about the season."

Spurs will have to overcome injury problems to win on Saturday.

Mousa Dembele is set to be ruled out - he has been working with Belgian physio Lieven Maesschalck in Antwerp to recover from a long-standing hip problem.

The 25-year-old avoided surgery and was expected to be out until the end of the week at the earliest, but Villas-Boas is resigned to being without the midfielder at the Emirates.

Mousa Dembele
What a pain: Dembele's hip injury is likely to prevent him facing Arsenal

 

AVB also needs to check on Kyle Walker, Jermain Defoe and Aaron Lennon after they were injured in the defeat to Manchester City on Sunday.

The trio pulled out of England duty this week for Wednesday night's friendly in Sweden and will now be assessed by club medics.

Villas-Boas has been without Younes Kaboul, Scott Parker and Benoit Assou-Ekotto for most of the season and is hoping not to lose more key players.

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